Chapter 50

“You promised, you swore.”

“You can’t get out of that. It would be suicide.”

“Literally.”

“You have no choice. You’ll see it,”

“Soon.”

Air filled her lungs within a millisecond of consciousness. She rose like a comedic vampire- so fast her head met the floor besides the bed with a thud. Thankfully, the covers she had ripped off the bed cushioned her fall.

It also meant Clarisse let out a gasp much like you’d think she’d been stabbed in the chest. “Hey! It’s cold, you idiot! Give the covers back, or I’m am this close to- was that a nightmare? Hello?”

“What?! No- maybe- yes! Just a small one, it’s nothing. Uh, my head…”

“Yeah, my bedside table is there. Come here.”

Clarisse conquered the cool morning air and pulled the covers back onto the bed, allowing Kayla to crawl back in.

If that didn’t say it; no, Kayla had not been sleeping in her own cabin. Yes, it was full of dust, and no, she did not sleep in there every single night.

She’d much rather settle on being told to sleep on the floor when Clarisse didn’t want to socialise instead of sleep in her own bed. Maybe it was becoming a problem. She hoped Clarisse didn’t see it that way… she was sure Clarisse didn’t see it that way. Clarisse was more than capeable to tell her to shoo if she didn’t like it. Kayla knew that.

“I have drills in ten…” Clarisse slurred as she threw herself back onto the bed. She already sounded half asleep once again. One arm above her head, the other hanging off the bed. Her mouth slightly agape as a snore emitted into the air. “You’ve been switched to border duty, remember?”

“Border duty in ten?!”

Her eyes snapped open. Clarisse was not used to border duty, as foreign as that sounded to anyone’s ears. It was boring and strict. And worse; Clarisse wasn’t in charge in her group. How bizarre that sounded. Ugh, Clarisse agreed. Infact, guess who was actually incharge? Yes, yes, that’s right. Sherman Yang. This entire thing between the two was still ongoing, and Kayla suspected it would stay that way for atleast another year.

“What, finally scared of him?’

In a flurry, Clarisse was up and getting dressed. Not long before waltzing around her room while brushing her teeth at the same time.

Im-mot-scared-of’im,” Clarisse spluttered with toothpaste, “Just-meed to proof-a point.”

“Stop talking with your mouth full, you’re gonna choke like an idiot.”

Clarisse’s next words were cut off by tripping over a pair of discarded army cargos. She cursed, half choking on a mix of toothbrush and toothpaste as she saved herself with one hand. Kayla could have never imagined Clarisse La Rue in such a tizz-wozz state this time last year. But, with impending doom on all demigod life forms, Camp Half Blood, her girlfriend being a possible target (specially selected by Kronos) and increasing attacks on camp, she had made it very clear to anyone who approached that she was extremely, immensely stressed.

Ofcourse, at first sight, you might think she was just some super-duper organised camper with lots of motivation. Eh-hem. Pause. When had that ever been Clarisse? Motivated? Maybe, by some odd things nonetheless, but organised? Yeah, no. Yet, these days, she got up- got ready in a much more put together manner than this morning- made a full breakfast, went to the gym, do any practice sessions she had, and make sure she picked up her minimum two hour border duty volunteering patrol position.

She was gone out of the door almost as soon as she managed to finish her teeth.

Kayla sighed. What a mess.

…

“I might go and hunt down Percy this week, his school term is almost over anyway,” Annabeth remarked, “He better not have been expelled, I don’t want to spend ages tracking down wherever else he might be.”

“Right, Jackson. Haven’t you spoken to him since- when did you come back from your near death experience? December?”

“No.”

Kayla let out a huff of air and glanced away. They sat alone at a table bench somewhere in camp. Yes, alone. Annabeth and Kayla. Who would have guessed?

Kayla supposed Annabeth wasn’t the worst company. She could be annoying and chatty when she got curious or something piqued her interest, yet when not in Athena-dictionary mode, Kayla could stand her. A solid six out of ten company. Plus, with the amount of times her and Clarisse had been forced to sit and talk with her, Kayla personally had gotten used to her.

“Damn, didn’t he like, save your life? And you’re in New York. He’s not gonna be happy.”

“Percy has no say in how he feels for where I am, Kayla. Don’t tell him about my visits to camp, please?”

“Like I want to speak to him anyway. I’m not taking the time out of my day to-“

“I get it. Don’t start.”

Around them, Camp seemed it’s usual self. Kayla felt out of place. No specific reason. Though, the odd tranquility of camp due to not being Summer was nice. Kayla used to hate any time of year that wasn’t Summer break if she were at camp. She hated the lack of social life it would give her- to annoy people and make friends with newbies. She loved the screaming and cheering of sports games, and the evil cackle from gazing Aphrodite girls. The hammering that echoed through camp from the forge. Now, the lack of it was a breath of fresh air. Eerie and unsettling if she focused on it for too long, but still.

Speaking of being in camp out of Summer season, Kayla hadn’t been in camp for so long out of season since now. Granted, she was gone allowed out of camp for safety reasons, but she hadn’t sent her Aunt a text in quite a while.

…Hm, how could she judge Annabeth for Percy if she wouldn’t even speak to her own Aunt.

“-Kayla? Snap out of it! Are you even listening?”

A flinch rattled through her body as Annabeth nudged her, sending her deep thoughts flying away from her. “Auh! Uh- what?”

“You’re doing that more often. I said, are you planning to go to homecoming? I know you usually don’t, but I was thinking with Clarisse this year, maybe-“

“No, no, Clarisse hasn’t asked me. Wha- why do you care again?”

“Ugh, nothing, I don’t want to be a hermit this year, that’s all. Showing up by myself might be a bit boring, all my siblings that are going have dates.”

She shrugged. “Maybe Jackson Will ask.”

“Hmph, I doubt it, I- ehem.” She coughed lazily, rolling her eyes. “I never even said I wanted to go with him.”

“What’s Jackson asking exactly?”

Clarisse approached in full Greek armour; leaning the palms of her hands on the edge of the table comfortably. She gave a forced, cocky smirk towards Annabeth; literally just to annoy her.

“Nothi-“

“Annabeth wants Percy Jackson to ask her to homecoming?”

“Kayla! I never said that,” She hit her arm, glaring daggers. Oh please, no one can do that look better than me. “I never said that.” She snapped her eyes to Clarisse, who shrugged and made a questionable face. Taunting. She tugged her plume helmet off, hair sweaty and knotty.

So hot.

“Okay, okay, snappy. You never said that… would you want him to?”

“Ow- ow- ow-” Three consecutive hits to Clarisse’s side, that didn’t actually hurt, followed immediately after.

“You’re so annoying, Clarisse. Shut up. Are you going to sit down or not?”

She huffed and shrugged, making her way behind Kayla in a slow saunter to mess with her feathers. “Four hours of patrol, complete. And that’s extra desserts sorted for three days.” She noted to Kayla. Clarisse never ate the desserts. Kayla, however, always slid whatever she got to her plate. The only reason she still got desserts was to feed the gremlin that would sit across from her at this point.

“God, who gave you brag rights?” Annabeth rolled her eyes. Oh, she was most definitely only salty because Clarisse had shown up full of adrenaline. Even if Kayla had technically lit the match. “I need to do some research, anyway. I’m leaving camp in the next few hours. I’ll see you in the next few weeks, and Kayla, please, please, remember to update me on next weeks cabin counselor meetings.”

Kayla let out a loud groan. She hated even remembering those stupid meetings. Mostly because they went like this:

“So, any news on Luke?”

“No.”

“How’s border patrol looking.”

“It’s chill, man.”

“Same time next week?”

“Cool.”

End scene.

Okay, maybe they weren’t exactly like that, but she wasn’t too sure on what Annabeth was expecting after the sixth meeting had been the same as the last five weeks.

“So, speaking of homecoming.” Clarisse rounded the bench and took a seat besides her.

“Oh no.”

“Want to be my date?”

“Out of all people, how are you asking for a date at homecoming? You don’t even like it. Wait, I don’t even like it.”

“I’ll like it for you.”

She side glanced Clarisse before finally twisting her body to face her. Yes, maybe it would be nice together. She had no clue what she’d wear. She hated dresses, especially short ones. She always had. They were inconvenient for digging in dirt to find worms with, and for practising floor-flips (as small Kayla would argue.) Still, the hatred stuck with her. Despite having no reason to hate them anymore. “Who are you, and what have you done with Clarisse?”

Clarisse huffed with a look like she was extremely, awfully proud of herself.

“You annoyed her just to ask alone.”

“I- did not.”

“Clarisse, my eye is twitching.”

“Oh, shut up,” She nudged her, twisting to face her, one leg either side of the bench. “I just want normalcy in this un-normal time right now. Being kids and going to some stupid date night like they all do out there.” She waved her finger behind her at the air, like she was shooing away one of her little half brothers.

“Why would Chiron even go ahead with a homecoming this year? Now? And… since when is going to a date night normal for you? Please.”

“Is that a no?” Clarisse asked. Her voice seemed bland of tone. No taunting, or even embarrassment. “Kayla, seriously. Everything’s been all over since- like, since you went missing. And I think I finally want to feel normal.” She admitted, “Or, as normal as a demigod can be.”

Her face softened for just a moment. I think I finally want to feel normal. Okay, Kayla. Maybe this wasn’t a sarcastic situation. Hey, look at that! Self awareness. It actually existed in her. “I never said no,” She responded gently, her shoulders relaxing. “Ofcourse we can go. If you clean yourself up nice enough.”

Her smile returned. They both knew those words were shadowed with a deeper meaning. Nothing was normal. Nothing was going to be normal for as long as Kronos was a thing. Which was… well, he was immortal. If Clarisse La Rue wanted to try and be normal for once in her life, like human being normal, then maybe the end of the world was closer than expected.

“Me, clean myself up? How about you, Birdie? You might rock up in rainbow hippie pants and a pyjama top if I don’t supervise you.”

“Wow, fair play. Okay. I won’t. I have a nice collection of thrifted going out items.”

Clarisse’s eyelids drooped like the heat had gotten to her and any adrenaline left had exited her body. “An’ I can’t wait to see ’em.”

Just as Kayla went to retort back about how she had no faith in her clothing choices, she cut herself off with a gag. Oh no. “What is that?” Her nostrils had never floooded with a strench so fast before. She had smelt that same thing before, yes. There was never a physical source.

“What’s what?”

“Death. Clarisse, were being attacked.”

“How could you sense that before me-“

There was no time for questions. Already, when she stood up and twisted her body around in a flurry to try and locate a source, what looked like the peagsi stables were already smoking up in the air from fire. “Ambush. Clarisse, call it in, go. Now!”

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Ive already edited this, then it uploaded without final edits:/. (If u find any mistakes)

Apologies for being gone so long, if id have known Wattpad was now banned in Turkey I would have said something, and trying to work it on the website was a chore😭

A bit of a shorter chap, but my next is 3100 words or something, so dont fret<3